The Fix Tape Exchange

Once a month on a Sunday evening at Soundfix Lounge, Steven Smiles (nicknamed by Dave because of his contagious smile) hosts the fix tape exchange, a fun event where people make mixed CDs according to a theme and trade them. Taylor, Dave and I have been doing this for a few months and absolutely love picking out the tracks and designing our packaging and checking out what we get. Last night's theme was "Food/Eating," and a friend of ours made an entire menu, laminated with a cool cover and everything, with the various songs organized by appetizers, entrees, etc. It was AMAZING. So amazing that he got a free shot for it! Also, if you bring an actual tape you get a free shot, but then it kind of sucks for the person who receives it because few people have a tape player anymore.

Anyway, my packaging this month was pretty cool. I wrote, "Fooooooooood, YUM" in funny letters at the top of a piece of bright orange construction paper, listed the track names and artists down the left, and drew a cow on the right with a bubble coming from his head that said, "ME??" Then I folded it up to make an envelope for the CD. Steven made a sandwich for his, and Taylor made an entire folder with inserts and "food" written in various languages all over it. Other people get really into it, too -- we have fun!

Past themes have been People's Names, Cities, Instrumental Songs, Songs to Lose Your Virginity To, and Animals. The mix I got in return during the instrumental month was an MP3 mix instead of a CD, with 300 randomass songs on it. Even though I was initially excited about receiving it, once I got all the shit on my computer I was cursing the fix tape exchange. But the mix I got this month is sooo good. The packaging looks just like a real CD, and the songs are awesome. Here's the track list:

what's that cookin -- Deke Dickerson & The Ecco-fonics
cornbread -- Skavoovie & The Epitones
eating people -- King Missile III
beek jerky -- Cibo Matto
starfish & coffee -- Prince
cheeseburger -- Gang of Four
pancakes for one -- Of Montreal
food -- Nellie McKay
sweet potato -- Imperial Teen
Gyoza -- Shonen Knife
ice cream soda -- The White Stripes
filipino box spring hog -- Tom Waits
eat steak -- Reverend Horton Heat
i love beans -- Brak
milky cereal -- LL Cool J
skanin pickle -- Smorgasborgnine
eat to the beat -- Blondie
corn on the cob -- James Kockalka Superstar
country salty balls (p.s. i love you) -- Chef
banana puddin' -- Southern Culture on the Skids
the scrapple song -- Robbie Fulks
ham -- The Bill Nayer Show
the spaghetti song -- White Knuckle Sandwich

My mix list (not nearly as many songs, I've gotta step it up!):
Diners Only -- The Avalanches
Mean Mr. Mustard -- The Beatles
Southern Flavor -- Bill Monroe
Peaches & Cream -- Beck
Caffiend -- Audible Mainframe
Big Rock Candy Mountain -- Harry McClintock
She Don't Use Jelly -- The Flaming Lips
Dishes -- Akudama
Gin and Juice (Snoop Dogg Cover) -- The Gourds
Sipping On The Sweet Nectar -- Jens Lekman
Poppin' Popcorn -- Peanut Butter Wolf
Sugar -- Billie Holiday
Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk (Reprise) -- Rufus Wainwright
Jazz Potato -- St. Germaine

My general guidelines for mixing are, 1: include as many genres as possible, and always at least one hip hop song, 2: always include one song from Bill Monroe, 3: always include one song from Billie Holiday, and 4: always include one song from an underground artist.

Next month's theme is Seasons. If you're around, come out!!